How to self-host tlblog

January 04, 2026

Welcome to the tlblog package.

tlblog is powerful, lightweight software for writers and bloggers. It focuses on privacy and speed. This package has everything you need to self-host your own version of the software.

Don't have the source code? Get it here.

Route 1: For non-developers

First, unzip the attached .zip file and open the folder. Look inside this folder. You will see another folder named dist. This folder contains the finished website.

You can host this folder for free using Netlify or Cloudflare Pages.

Method A: Use Netlify Drop

1. Go to app.netlify.com/drop.
2. Drag the dist folder into the circle on the screen.
3. Your site is online immediately.
4. Important: You must click "Sign up for free" to claim the site. If you do not, it will be deleted after one hour.

To change your website address (URL):
1. Click on your new site in Netlify.
2. Click Domain Management.
3. You can change the name here (example: my-blog.netlify.app) or add a custom domain (example: yourname.com).

Method B: Use Cloudflare Pages

1. Create a free account at pages.cloudflare.com.
2. Go to Workers & Pages and click Create Application.
3. Click the Upload Assets tab.
4. Name your project and click Create Project.
5. Drag and drop the dist folder into the upload area.
6. Click Deploy Site.

Route 2: For Developers

Use this section if you want to change the name of the app or make changes to the code. You will need Node.js and npm installed on your computer.

Setup

1. Unzip this package.
2. Open your terminal in this folder.
3. Run this command to install the necessary tools:

npm install

4. Run this command to preview the app on your computer:

npm run dev

How to Customize

To personalize the app, configurations are handled within config.ts. You can modify the following variables:

• userName: The name displayed in the landing page heading (e.g., "Welcome Jenny"). Leave empty for "Welcome home".
• siteUrl: The URL for the "View your site" button on the landing page. Leave empty to hide the button.
• hostingUrl: The URL for the "Update your site" link (e.g., your Netlify drop link). Leave empty to hide the link.

This makes it easy to customize the site according to your needs.

Build and Deploy

When you finish your changes, you must build a new version of the site. Run this command:

npm run build

This will update the dist folder. You can now follow the Route 1 instructions above to drag and drop your new dist folder to Netlify or Cloudflare.

File Structure

dist: The finished website, ready to upload.
components: The visual parts of the app (editor, landing page).
services: The logic for the export feature.
config.ts: The settings file for names and branding.
App.tsx: The main application file.

License

Read LICENSE.txt for terms of use.